Double-adjustable grille



July 2, 1968 D. E. MAXSON 3,390,625

DOUBLE-ADJUSTABLE GRILLE Filed Sept 23 1966 mvsmoa [8 E.mow uam CAww-oruoe: y

United States Patent 3,390,625 DOUBLE-ADJUSTABLE GRILLE Dale E. Maxson,Rockford, 11]., assignor to Barber- Colman Company, Rockford, 111., acorporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 581,638 Claims.(Cl. 98-121) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For use in air conditioningsystems, a double-adustable grille includes a core formed as a unitarystructure by a set of adjustable vertical vanes and a set ofindependently adjustable horizontal vanes. Each of the latter is formedalong one edge with a resiliently yieldable rib which snaps intocomplementary shaped openings in the vertical vanes and bearsfrictionally against the edges of the openings to hold the vanes inassembled relationship while permitting free and independent adjustmentof the vanes of each set. The core may be supported within an opening ina surrounding frame simply by snapping the ribs into notches formed in apair of upright posts spanning the frame opening.

This invention relates to a double-adjustable grille of the type used inair conditioning and heating systems and, more particularly, to a grillecomprising a core formed by two sets of relatively perpendicular vanesboth of which are adjustable selectively to control the direction andpattern of the flow of air discharged into a room or other space.

The general object of the present invention is to provide adouble-adjustable grille of the above character which is simpler inconstruction, more economical to manufacture, and more easily assembledthan prior devices of the same general type.

A further object is to construct the core as a unitary structure inwhich the sets of vanes are snapped together in assembled relationship,are supported solely by each other, and yet are pivotable relative toone another to vary the direction of the air flow.

Another object is to support the grille core in a mounting frame withoutthe need of pivotal connections between the movable vanes and the framethereby to reduce the number of parts and complexity of the grille.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing by snappingresiliently flexible ribs formed along the trailing edges of the vanesof one set into spaced notches formed along the leading edges of thevanes of the other set, and by allowing the ribs to expand within thenotches to bear against the latter with sufficient force to hold thevanes in assembled relationship while leaving the sets free for relativeadjustment.

The invention also resides in the novel construction and coaction of thetwo sets of vanes permitting the same to be snapped together inadjustable relationship.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view ofa grille embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantiallyalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantiallyalong the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the vanes.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the vanes shown in FIG.4 as they are being assembled.

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FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the line66 of FIG. 5 and showing the vanes in assembled positions.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration. the invention isembodied in a double-adjustable grille comprising a core 10 fittedwithin a frame 11 and formed by two sets of crossed horizontal andvertically disposed vanes 12 and 13 pivotally supported to swing abouthorizontal and vertical axes respectively. Such grilles are especiallyuseful for controlling the flow of air discharged from heating orcooling ducts of air conditioning systems in that the vanes may beadjusted to a number of selected positions to vary the direction of theair flow. Herein, the frame comprises a sheet metal tube of rectangularshape adapted to telescope within a duct and having a right angularperipheral flange 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2) adapted to be secured against theface of the wall through which the duct is formed.

In accordance with the present invention, the core 10 is constructed asa unitary structure in which the crossed sets of vanes 12 and 13 aresnapped together in assembled relationship, are supported solely by eachother and, at the same time, may be pivoted relative to one another tovary the direction of the air flow. To these ends, the trailing edges ofone set of vanes, herein the horizontal vanes 12, are formed withresiliently flexible and opposed ribs 15 which, after simply beingflexed toward each other and snapped into notches 16 formed in theleading edges of the vertical vanes 13, are allowed to expand within thenotches to bear against the walls of the latter with sufficient force tohold the two sets of vanes fastened together. The size and shape of theribs and notches are such that the vanes of each set are free forpivotal adjustment to various selected positions relative to the vanesof the other set in spite of the holding force developed by virtue ofthe resiliency of the ribs. With this arrangement, the grille not onlyrequires fewer parts but also may be manufactured more economically andassembled more easily than prior grilles of a similar nature.

In the present instance, each vertical vane 13 of the core 10 is formedfrom a flat strip of thin sheet metal and the notches 16 are punchedfrom and equally spaced along the leading edges of the vanes. Thenotches are generally V-shaped and their outwardly flaring definingedges 17 (FIGS. 4 and 5) form equilateral triangles each with its apexlocated on the horizontal center line of an arcuate hole 20 defining theinner or closed end of the notch. As shown most clearly in FIG. 5,oppositely and vertically extending projections 21 are formed at thejunctions of the straight edges 17 of the slots and the curved edges ofthe holes.

To form the horizontal vanes 12, a relatively wide strip of resilientlyflexible sheet metal first is folded or bent laterally at 21a (FIG. 4)and then reversely at 22 to define a pair of upper and lower verticallyspaced side panels 23 integrally connected by an outwardly facing endpanel 24. The ribs 15 are simply arcuate lips formed at the free edgeportions of the side panels and oppositely curved along a radius hereinthe same as that of the holes 20. Before assembly of the core 10, theside panels are relaxed and are spaced relatively far apart so that thedistance between the opposed ribs of each horizontal vane 12 is greaterthan the distance between the projections 21 formed on each verticalvane 13.

In order to fasten the horizontal vanes 12 to the vertical vanes 13, thelatter are supported in horizontally spaced relationship in a suitablefixture with the notches 16 of each vane being alined with thecorresponding notches of the adjacent vane. The side panels 23 of eachvertical vane then are squeezed or flexed toward each other so that theribs 15 may snap past the projections 21 and into the holes 20 as shownmost clearly in FIG. 5. After the ribs have passed by the projections,the tendency of the side panels to return to their relaxed positions byvirtue of the resiliency of the material urges the ribs into bearingengagement with the edges of the holes to develop sufficient force forholding the sets of vanes assembled as a unitary core without need ofadditional fastening means.

Because of the mating arcuate surfaces of the ribs 15 and the holes 20,the horizontal vanes 12 may be swung individually upwardly anddownwardly relative the vertical vanes 13 to deflect the air streamsupwardly and downwardly respectively. The outwardly flaring edges 17 ofthe notches 16 allow such swinging of the horizontal vanes to the limitpositions shown in phantom in FlG. 2. Similarly, all or part of the airstreams may be diverted to the left or right by swinging the verticalvanes in 0pposite directions about vertical axes extending through thecenters of the holes 26. To insure that the vertical vanes may pivotrelative to the horizontal vanes, it is desirable to provide a slightamount of clearance between the ribs 15 and the holes 20, such as byforming a small recess 27 (FIGS. and 5) at the inner end of each hole.It is apparent that such clearance could be formed in various otherways, as for example, by charnfering the edges of the holes.

Advantage is taken of the above-described unitary con struction of thecore 14) to fasten the latter within the frame 11 in a simple and rapidmanner. For this purpose, the extreme end portions of the horizontalvanes 12 are snapped into forwardly opening notches formed incl'tannel-shaped supporting posts 29 (FIGS. 1 and 3) disposed nearopposite sides of the frame. At their upper and lower ends, the postsare fastened to spring mounting clips 30 (FIG. 3) by sheet metal screws31 and the mounting clips, in turn, are snapped over the rear edges ofthe frame. Thus, after fastening the clips to the frame, the 1* core maybe installed in the frame simply by threading the screws through the endposts and the clips. Such simpIe installation is possible because thevanes 12 and 13 pivotally support each other and need not be connectedto the frame by trunnions or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the new and improved grilleof the present invention may be manufactured and assembled in anextremely simple manner thus resulting in a very inexpensive product.Since both sets of vanes are individually adjustable, the grille is aseffective in service use as the more costly grilles used for relatedpurposes.

I claim as my invention:

1. A double-adjustable grille comprising a first set of vanes eachhaving a plurality of outwardly flaring V- shaped notches formed in andspaced along one edge thereof and terminating at the apex in a holehaving arcuate edges, said vanes being spaced from each other with thenotches of each vane alined with the corresponding notches of theadjacent vane, a second set of spaced vanes each disposed in andextending through one set of the alined notches of said first vanes,each of said second vanes being made of a sheet of resiliently flexiblematerial folded laterally and then reversely to form a pair of opposedside panels each having an arcuately curved rib at the free edgethereof, said side panels being flexed toward each other with said ribsprojecting into the holes in said first vanes and being urged intofrictional bearing engagement with the edges of said holes by virtue ofthe resiliency of said material to hold the first and second sets ofvanes in assembled relationship, said holes being shaped to leave saidfirst vanes free for pivotal adjustment relative to said second vanesabout a first set of axes extending lengthwise of the first vanes, andsaid ribs being turnable in said holes about a second set of axesextending lengthwise of said second vanes to leave the latter free forpivotal adjustment relative to and independently of said first vanes andwithin the confines of said notches.

2. A grille as defined in claim 1 in which said side panels areinterconnected by an integral and outwardly facing end panel formed bythe lateral and reverse folding of said sheet of material.

3. A grille as defined in claim 1 in which oppositely extendingprojections are formed in said first vanes at the motions of theoutwardly flaring edges of said notches and the arcuate edges of saidholes.

4. A doubie adjustable grille having a frame and a core telescoped intosaid frame, said core comprising a first set of vanes each having aplurality of outwardly flaring notches spaced along one edge thereof andmerging into holes having arcuate edges spaced inwardly from the edge ofsaid vane, said vanes being spaced from each other with the notches ofeach vane alined with the corresponding notches of the adjacent vane, asecond set of spaced vanes each disposed in and extending through oneset of the alined notches of said first vanes, each of said second vaneshaving a pair of arcuately curved and resiliently flexible ribsprojecting into the holes in said first vanes and urged in oppositedirections against the edges of said holes to hold said first and secondsets of vanes in assembled relationship, said ribs and said holes beingshaped to leave the vanes of each set free for pivotal adj ustmentrelative to the vanes of the other set, supporting means pivotallymounting said second set of vanes, means constituting the soleconnection between said core and said frame fastening said supportingmeans to said frame, said supporting means comprising a pair of postsdisposed adjacent opposite ends of the vanes of said second set, saidposts having notches spaced along one edge thereof in accordance withthe spacing of the notches in the vanes of said first set, and saidnotches in said posts receiving said ribs on the vanes of said secondset to pivotally mount the latter.

5. A double-adjustable grille as defined in claim 4 in which the vanesof said second set are made of a sheet of resiliently flexible materialfolded laterally and then reversely to form a pair of opposed sidepanels, and said ribs are formed integrally with the free edges of saidside panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,007,716 7/1935 Green. 3,087,4104/1963 Averill 98-121 XR 3,177,797 4/1965 Kennedy 98---110' XR 3,270,6579/1966 Jaye 98110 FOREIGN PATENTS 904,944 2/ 1954 Germany.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assislant Exwminer.

